With the growing use of smartphones, users who prefer voice search has increased to a level where it is estimated that, by 2020, 30% of all website sessions will be conducted without a screen.
The reason is simple – users want answers, not links.
What is Voice Search?
Voice search is a speech recognition technology that allows users to speak their search query into a device instead of typing it out. The device delivers the results out loud, orally, unlike usual search results which display a host of links.
Siri, Cortana, Google Now, Alexa and Google Assistant are a few voice search assistants that are being used on a regular basis.
Why are people preferring Voice search?
In addition to the directness involved in a voice search, here are the top reasons why people get attracted to voice-activated speakers:
- It helps you manage multiple things at a time
- Asking a question louder is quite simpler than typing it
- It empowers you with instant answers
How Voice Search Works?
If ‘Googling’ something was easy, using the voice search is easier, much easier.
When you visit Google’s search page, click the microphone icon on the search bar and ask a query into the microphone. Make sure your voice is clear to get accurate results.
How Voice Search Impacts SEO?
Initially, people used voice search out of curiosity or to pass the time.
Now, it has turned out to be a habit, a habit that makes their life a little easier. As per recent statistics, an average of one billion voice searches is made per month, which speaks about its obvious rise.
In a fast and results-based world, why would you visit a website for information when it takes just seconds to get it through voice search?
In the end, it’s all about creating a better user experience and voice search wins in this department.
Therefore, it’s very likely that voice search will dominate traditional search.
A recent study went as far as to say that Google is slowly turning from a “search engine” to an “answer engine” because of voice search.
Wait. How does this affect your business? Will you need to optimize your website for voice search as well?
Well, not if you want to be left out. So, here goes:
Tips to Optimize for Voice Search:
- Optimize your website for interrogative keywords as people tend to use terms like what, where, how, and why in voice search to get immediate answers
- Optimize your website content for mobile devices, as well as home speakers
- Local SEO and “Near Me” strategies work even better in voice search
- Ensure that your page speed is high as Google voice search favors websites that load faster
- Use long-tail keywords that sound more like natural speech. When users perform a voice search, they ask clear, complete questions
- Fix Structured Data and Featured Snippets as Google Assistant prefers SERPs that come from featured snippets
- Optimize content for natural language
- Use voice search by yourself to understand it better
Incorporate these strategies into your website to ensure that you’re prepared enough to face Voice search challenges in the future. When it becomes the only way your customers search for anything through voice search, you’ll be ready.
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